Multiple-cylinder-motor ignition apparatus.



B. L. LAWTON.

MULTIPLE CYLINDER MOTOR IGNITION APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED .TUNE 19, 1907.

91 1,41 4, Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

{OJIL #L The cylinders 1, 2, 3 an 4 `ruIR'ro'N L. LAWT'oN, or Missions,

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i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

THE UNIT COIL COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW `fERSY, `A CORPORATON 0F NEW I JERSEY.

MuLTrrLncYLInDEn-mo'ron IGNITION arranar'cs.

Speciicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Fe'b. `2, 1909.

Application jlled June 19, 1907. Serial No. 878,782.

To all 'whom it muy concern:

Bo it known that I, BURTON L. LAWTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, New Haven county, Connecticut,

Ahave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple-Cylinder-Motor Ignition Apparatus, ofrwhich the following 1s 'a full, clear, and-exact description.

My invention relates to ignition apparatus for internal combustion motors and articularly of the four cycle multiple cylin er t pe. With such motors and especially on cars aving four or more cylinders, difliculty is often encountered,-for instance, under unusually heavy loads such as steep up rades,by what is termed cross firing. his causes bucking, which is not only very annoying but sometimes dangerous. It is my object to revent this.

n multiple cylinder ignition systems it' is customary to employe jump spark igniter or Y plug in each c linder red by separate induc tion or Ruhm {orif coils, one for each igniter. Four cycle motors have one ignition and working stroke of each piston once in two complete revolutions of the main shaft. A four cylinder engine, therefore, has one ignition at each half revolution of the main shaft. There is, therefore, at the moment of ignition in one cylinder, some other cylinder with a full charge of air and fuel, but uncoln pressed. This charge is inflammable and sometimes is accidental] ignited, especially when `the mixture is ric. This accidental ignition I believe to be due to the action of static and magnetic induction. I have found it possible to prevent it kby the use cfa soft iron plate or p ates between the induction coils. y These coils in boxes are preferinterchangeably mounted in a casing,

so prefer to rovide a plate on each side of layers of metal between adjacent coils which serve to prevent any cross induction between the separate coils.

The drawing is a diagram showing a four cylinder motor of the four cycle internal combustion type with jump spark igniters and induction coils. The four coils are shown in their boxes Vand all inclosed in a case, the case and one box bein shown in section. are provided with the usual valves and pistons connected to cranks 10, 20, 30 and 40.

The igniters 11, 21, 31 andai have one 'each terminal of each grounded on the en ine frame and the other terminals connecte to the terminals 12, 22, 32 and 42 in the bottom of the casing 5. The casing preferably has a l center partition 50 which strengthens it and divides it into two compartments.

The battery or source of current 6 is grounded at on the engine frame and connected to terminals 61 in the casing. It is often desirable and, in fact, customary, to provide an additional battery such as 62 and a switch with the contacts 63 and 64 and switch arm 65, so that either battery may bc thrown into or out of circuit readily.

A circuit closer or switchl is provided, which is driven at a rate proportioned to the speed of the motor, which has a revoluble mem-ber 7, grounded at 70 on the engine frame. The contacts 71, 72,- 73 and 74 are connected to the terminals 51, 52- 53 and 54 in the casing.

, Y Esc `of the coil boxes 81, 82, 83 and 84 is independently removable from the casing and contains a primary winding P, a secondary winding S and va condenser C, the latter being bridged or shunted across the vibrator terminals B and V. The primaries have terminals P', P, P, and -P on the ex terior of the boxes whichengage the contact strip 66 in the casing, which is connected to 'and 42 which are connected to the igniters.

The other terminals of the coil windings in box are connected to the bridge B. The armatures, such al V, are connected to terminals C C, C' and C on the exterior of the boxes which engage the contacts 55, 56, 57 and 58 in the casing which are connected to the terminals 51, 52, 53 and 54.

In the position shown in the drawing, the primary circuit may be traced from battery 6 to terminal 61, contact strip 66,l contact P",

primary Winding P, bridge B, vibrator V, contacts C and 55, terminal 51, contact 71, circuit closer 7, ground 70 to 60 'switch 65, contact 63 to thel battery. The secondary circuit may be traced from the secondary winding S, terminals S and 12, igniter 11, through engine frame to ground 70, circuit closer 7, contact 71, terminal 5l, contacts 55 and'C, armature V and bridge B back to the secondary. The charge in cylinder 1 is thus ignited. It is customary' to fire the cylinders placed between the coils.

in the order of 1, 2, 4 and 3 and the circuits as shown are so ordered, the circuit closer rotating to the right, so as to successively complete the circuits through the coilboxes 81, 82, 84 and 83. It is obvious that contacts 72 and74 might be interchanged so that the order of firing would be 1, 4, 2 and 3, the valves being properly set.

Sometimes the charge in cylinder 2 which, as shown and described, is sup osed to follow cylinder 1 at` 180, is'ignite at the saine time as cylinder 1. I have "been able to prevent this by eliminating or reducing the induction eiect of the coils in box 81 on the coils in box 82 by means of a soft iron plate Preferably I place a late or sheet such as 9 and 90 on each side ofp each coil within the box which is customarily of wood. There is then nadanger of the cross induction, no matter what the position or arrangement of the boxes in the casing. The same difiiculty of back or cross firing is encountered in four cycle engines of more than four cylinders and may be avoided by the use of my invention; so also in engines of the two cycle type and two or more cylinders, the cross-firing may be avoided by inductively insulating the coils for the different cylinders.

I wish it clearly understood that I consider ,my invention in its broad sense to cover the use of any suitable magnetic Inaterial in the manner set forth for preventing the inductive cross firing. Experiment with a ,system may show that the cross firing occurs only in one cylinder, in which case it will be onl necessary to protect the coil for that cylin er by a layer o iron or equivalent material.' Of course the iron may entirely surround the coil, but this is usually not nec essary. The invention is applicableto any number of coils and with stationary units, as well as removable units.

What I claim is 1. In an ignition system the combination of a multi le cylinder internal combustion motor of t e four cycle type, with ignition devices, a source of rimary current, induction coils having t eir primary windings adapted to be connected to the source of current and having their secondary windings adapted to be connected to the ignition devices, means for bringing the ignition devices successively into operation and means for preventing interference between the coils to prevent cross firing.

2. In a power system, a multiple cylinder motor of the internal combustion type, an ignition device for each cylinder, a source of current, a plurality of induction coils arranged adjacent to each other and having their primary windings connected .to t `e source of current and having their seconda windings connected to the ignition devices, means for preventing cross induction between the coils and a circuit closer for bringing the ignition devices `successively into operation in a predetermined order, whereby back firing is prevented.

3. In a power system, the combination of a multiple cylinder motor, an ignition device for each cylinder, a source of current, a plurality of interchangeable induction units removatly mounted in a casing, the primary windings bein current, vand t e secondary windings being connected to the ignition devices, magnetic insulating plates arranged on the opposite sides of the units outside of both the primary and secondary windings, and means for making and brea ing the circuits in a predetermined order.

4. Multiple cylinder induction ignition apparatus ycomprising the combination with a multiple cylinder en ine having i ition devices of a casing, a p urality cf coi units removably mounted in the casing, one for each cylinder, each unit consisting of a box containing primary and secondary windings, and lates of magnetic insulating material on t e opposite sides of the primary and secondary windings and extending above and below the ends thereof. y

5. Multiple cylinder motor ignition apparatus comprising `a casing, a plurality of boxes `removably mounted therein, primary and secondary windings in each box, a vibrator in circuit witheach rimary winding, separate contact terminals carried by each box for the primary and secondary windings therein, a source of current, a common terminal in the casing for the primar winding contacts, a third contact carrie by each `box and common to the primary and secondary windings therein, separate terminals in the casing for said common contacts, ignition devices adapted to be thrown into the secondary circuits and to be brought into operation at certain times and means for preventing untimely sparking. Y

6. Multiple cylinder motor ignition aparatus comprising a casing a plurality of oxes removably mounted therein, primary and secondary windings-in each box, a vibrator in circuit with each primary winding separate contact terminals carried by eac box for the primary'and secondary windings therein, a source of current, a common terminal in the casing for the primary winding contacts, a third contact carried 'by each box and common to the primary and secondary windings therein, separate terminals in the casing for. said common contacts, ignition devices adapted to be operated by the secondary induced currents and a magnetic insulating device arranged between the coils of two adjacent boxes, whereby untimely firingis revented.

7. Mu tiple cylinder motor induction ignition apparatus including a multiple cylinder connected to the source of` engine having ignition devices in combination with a'casing, a plurality of independently removable boxes mounted therein, primary and secondary windin s contained in each box and a magnetic insu ation device arranged between the coils of adjacent boxes, whereby untimely ignition is prevented.

8. Multiple cylinder motor induction ignition apparatus including a casing, a plurality ol coil units mounted therein in proximity to one another and each consisting of primary and secondary windings and a vibrator, a source of current. an ignition device operated by the `current in each secondary Winding and means for preventing interference between the primary of one coil and the sec- ,ondary ol another coil, whereby improper tiring is avoided.

9. Multiple cylinder motor ignition apparatus including an ignition device for each cylinder, an induction coil for each ignition device, said coils .being mounted in proximity to one another, each coil including primary and secondary windings and a vibrator, a source of primary current, means for bringing the ignition devices into operation successively and means for preventing interference between the coils. whereby improper ignition is prevented.

1U. ln combination with an engine having a plurality of cylinders and a single crank shaft with pitman connections to the respective cylinders, a plurality of induction coils connected to successively ignite the charges in the respective cylinders in a predetermined order, and a magnetic shield located in operative relation to intercept the magnetic flux between tWo adjacent coils, the cylinders of which :[ire in an immediate sequence.

11. The combination with a plurality of open magnetic circuit coils arranged in close proximity one with another, of an electric circuit for each coil including its primary Winding, a plurality of inde endent open circuits corresponding in numli cluding respectively the secondary windings of the coils, means for successively closing and opening the several circuits of the primary series, and means for preventing the induction of currents in each secondary winding by the influence of its immediately adjacent secondary.

12. The combination with a plurality of open magnetic circuit coils grouped in proximity to one another, of an electric clrcuit for each coil including its primary winding, a plurality ol' independent open circuits corresponding in number to and including respectively the secondary windings of the coils, a commutator for successively closing and opening the several primary circuits, and an open magnetic circuit shield arranged intermediate each pair of adjoinin coils.

BURTON L. LA TON.

Witnesses:

L. T FULLER, V. M. KOOREMAN.

er to and in- 

